The 49ers have 66 players on the roster from North Carolina. Roughly 31 of those are from the greater Charlotte area.

The 49ers added 20 new players on Signing Day, 2013 -- and 11 of those are from North Carolina, with six from the greater Charlotte area.

That gives the 49ers close to 40 players from right here in this area.

Head coach Brad Lambert has talked about his desire to to build his team from the inside out -- and that goal was two-fold.

He wanted to have strong offensive and defensive lines to build his team around. Inside out.

And he wanted the 49ers to make a mark in the Charlotte area, and in the Carolinas as he built his team. Inside out.

He and his coaching staff have worked tirelessly to make an impact in the Charlotte area. And they have succeeded. Not only have they been busy making visits and talking with coaches and making contacts, they've been participating in speaking engagements, taking players to local elementary schools and making sure they are out and active in the community.

It all starts at home, you might say, and whether its speaking at a Hall of Fame ceremony in Belmont, or visiting an elementary school at Weddington Hills, or signing kids from Mallard Creek, Vance and Porter Ridge, the 49ers want to make sure they are making their presence felt, first and foremost, in the Charlotte area.

At the 2nd Annual Signing Day Chalk Talk, they reached out directly to their hardiest fans -- letting Niner Nation get the first glimpse of the latest group of signees. They have welcomed fans to practice and staged several scrimmages to allow fans to see exactly how the team looks.

Students and alums were out in full force. But first-time fans also turned out from neighboring communities.

Spring practice will get underway March 18. The 49ers first Spring Game will be held April 20. More opportunities for the community to get to know this team better.

They'll come out and see the multitude of players from North and South Carolina. They may come out to cheer a kid they rooted for in high school. And they will see a team that is building its program from the inside out.

From Charlotte, to Concord, to Matthews, and all points outward.

Start with a strong core -- and build outward. Be it entire programs, full rosters or individual players, strength comes from within and grows.